CISSE out for France after breaking leg in friendly


Djibril Cissé's chances both of featuring in the World Cup finals and leaving Liverpool appeared to have been dashed last night when he was stretchered from the field with a suspected broken leg during France's final pre-tournament friendly against China in Saint-Etienne.

The 24-year-old striker was chasing the ball down the right flank only 10 minutes into the fixture when he was knocked off balance by a China defender and, as he fell, his right leg twisted under him and buckled above the ankle. He departed the turf in agony and was replaced by David Trezeguet, with the France medical team's initial assessment suggesting he had broken his right tibia.

Should scans on the injury confirm the worst today Cissé will definitely miss his country's campaign in Germany - they depart for Hanover this morning - and may also be denied an escape route from Anfield. The Marseille sporting director Pape Diouf was on Merseyside yesterday discussing a possible move for the former Auxerre striker, who joined Liverpool for a club-record £14.1m in 2004 but has been made aware of the FA Cup winners' willingness to sell him.
Marseille's insistence that they wished to take him initially on a long-term loan basis meant no agreement had been reached over his departure for Stade Vélodrome, and they are likely to drop their interest if he has suffered a long-term injury.

Cissé missed much of his first season at Anfield after suffering a double fracture of his left leg in falling awkwardly in a Premiership match at Blackburn Rovers in October 2004.

"It is bad but we cannot say very much right now," said France's coach Raymond Domenech. "He has gone to the hospital for tests and we are extremely worried. We all saw what happened and it is hugely disappointing. We will go and see Djibril first but there will be solutions available to us."

Domenech will consider calling up the Barcelona midfielder Ludovic Giuly, the Lyon striker Sidney Govou or Fenerbahce's Nicolas Anelka as a replacement for the tournament.

Source: Dominic Fifield, The Guardian

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